PechaKucha Night in Chattanooga Vol. 9 was held just a few days ago, and here’s a report sent to us by organizer Matt Brown — you’ll find the full list of presenters with links on the official event page. Above, one of two flyers produced for the event by graphic designer Elaine Manglicmot.
There were many events taking place last Friday in Chattanooga, so PKN was just one of several options. We had a larger than expected crowd considering, and it’s a clear demonstration that our local PKN has a loyal following. For our Volume 9, we moved to a performance venue called Barking Legs Theater. The layout of the space and the large screen proved to be ideal for a PechaKucha-style event. It also exposed many people to Barking Legs who hadn’t been there before, so we all benefited. Of our eight presenters, four had previous experience with the 20×20 format at past volumes, but the four who were presenting for the first time did such an excellent job, it was as if they had done it before.
One of the highlights included a clean-and-jerk demonstration by getBUILT Chattanooga gym owner Mike Alley with a volunteer from the audience. The crowd was enthralled when the barbell came out and the lights came up. Mike’s presentation was centered around breast cancer awareness, which added real impact to the entertainment value. Another great presentation was from artist Rondell Crier who relocated to Chattanooga from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Rondell’s work greatly reflects the variety and intensity of his upbringing and we were truly captivated. Jeff Hunter of Tennessee Wild gave an impassioned presentation about the importance of acting to protect our land and resources. Ann Law, the owner of Barking Legs, gave a very passionate and poetic presentation about the role of dance in her life. It’s impossible to capture in words the experience of someone putting their passions out there for all to see. The whole event was entertaining and inspiring, which we would call a success. Now… on to Volume 10!